Do you know where your best RoI and opportunities are for AI in your organisation?
Your team is probably already experimenting with ChatGPT, Copilot, or other AI tools. Maybe they've had some wins, maybe some disappointments. Maybe you haven't even scratched the surface yet and are not sure where to start.
I believe that understanding current AI capabilities, your current people, tasks, inputs, and outputs is key to getting the RoI actively promoted around AI. This understanding of what people are great at and value, and what AI can effectively replace, is what will lead to meaningful adoption.
Also, taking a nuanced approach will lead to better outcomes—it's not what jobs or tasks we can automate and replace; it's about which components we can speed up, which we can automate in straightforward cases, and what we highly value that we want to leverage our great people for.
Understanding what current AI actually excels at.
Current AI systems, particularly large language models, have impressive and expanding capabilities. Understanding these helps identify where automation creates genuine value versus where human capabilities remain essential.
Where current AI excels:
Complex pattern recognition and data analysis
Sophisticated text generation, editing, and summarisation
Consistent application of detailed criteria and rules
Processing and summarising information from multiple sources
24/7 availability for routine and semi-complex interactions
Code generation, debugging, and technical documentation
Initial analysis and flagging items for human review
Where people remain vital:
Contextual judgement and reading between the lines
Creative problem-solving and strategic innovation
Building relationships and understanding cultural nuance
Adapting to unexpected situations or novel problems
Ethical reasoning and value-based decisions
Learning from limited examples or incomplete information
The opportunity lies in designing workflows where each handles what they do best.
Factors to consider when identifying opportunities.
With this understanding of AI's current strengths, here are some practical factors to consider when looking for where AI can lift your team into higher-value work:
What's consuming time without requiring human expertise? Look for tasks that are necessary but don't leverage people's strategic thinking, creativity, or relationship skills. Current AI can handle sophisticated document analysis, data compilation, and initial research.
Where do people feel stuck in routine work? Teams often know which activities prevent them from focusing on more challenging, meaningful work. AI's ability to handle complex but predictable tasks can eliminate this friction.
What work scales with volume but not complexity? If adding more of the same work just means more time rather than more skill, AI might help. This allows people to focus on the complex cases and strategic planning that actually require human judgment.
The goal is to identify areas where AI can handle sophisticated but routine work, enabling people to move into more valuable, strategic, creative, and fulfilling roles.
Getting started with your team.
One of the biggest considerations isn't technical—it's cultural. People naturally wonder about job security or feel uncertain about new technology.
Focus on eliminating frustration rather than eliminating jobs. When you target tasks people find tedious or time-consuming, you're more likely to create enthusiasm. Frame AI as handling sophisticated but routine work so people can focus on strategy, creativity, and relationships.
Involve people in identifying opportunities. Teams usually have the best insights about which tasks consume time without requiring human expertise. Their input reveals where AI can lift them into higher-value work.
Start with discovery, then pilot thoughtfully. Understand where people spend time on routine tasks versus strategic work. Test AI applications with volunteers who are curious about the technology, focusing on tasks that clearly augment rather than replace human decision-making. Build on successful pilots while maintaining a focus on human-AI collaboration.
The practical next step: knowing where to look.
If you're ready to move beyond AI experimentation, the first step is mapping your current work against AI's key strengths and the key strengths that will stick with people.
Which tasks involve pattern recognition in structured data? Where do you need the consistent application of rules? What work requires human judgment, creativity, or relationship management?
One key feature of Modus, by Hawthorne Ventures, is helping organisations identify where current AI capabilities align with their specific needs.
Our assessment analyses your existing positions and processes against what AI actually excels at versus what requires distinctly human capabilities.
Rather than guessing where AI might help, you get a clear picture of where current AI strengths match your operational needs. This nuanced approach - focusing on components rather than wholesale replacement - leads to meaningful ROI and sustainable human-AI collaboration.
Ready to discover where current AI can create real value in your organisation? Let's start by examining where your needs align with what AI does well, while highlighting the aspects that only your people can do.
